Autocratic forms of government have been around in all historical periods, from ancient times to the present day. Autocracy has taken various forms, yet undoubtedly its most characteristic feature is the manner in which an individual or group exercises power – one contrary to the principles of the legal and political order underpinning the sociopolitical life of the collective in which it appeared. As a form of government, it took various forms, determined by a variety of factors. This diversity of forms in which the autocratic style of government manifested itself has led researchers to attempt to describe and classify them. The important place occupied by autocratic forms of government in the ancient world led the academic collective of the Melammu Project to choose autocracy in antiquity as the theme of the 14th Melammu Workshop. Among others, "Oriental Despots in the Inscriptions of Assurbanipal" are in the focus of Sebastian Fink; "Mycenaean Kingship" is dealt with by Josef Fischer and "Lydian Autocracy as Seen by the Greeks" by Francesca Gazzano. Jesper Majbom Madsen analyses "The Fear of Democracy and the Need of Autocracy in Cassius Dio’s Political Thinking"; "Thoughts on Autocratic Authorship in Antiquity" are presented by Matthias Haake and "Attributes of Power of the Hasmoneans" by Edward Dąbrowa.

Edward Dąbrowa: Introduction

Sebastian Fink: Oriental Despots in the Inscriptions of Assurbanipal

Josef Fischer: Some Remarks on Mycenaean Kingship

Francesca Gazzano: Lydian Autocracy as Seen by the Greeks

Jakub Kuciak: Warum es sich nicht lohnt, Ratgebern zu folgen – der Fall des Polykrates und des Amasis

Matthias Haake: The Writing Tyrant in Ancient Greece: From the Archaic to the Hellenistic Period. Some First Thoughts on Autocratic Authorship in Antiquity

Tomasz Grabowski: Attalids Attitude to Greek Cities after 188 BC: Selected Issues

Stefano G. Caneva: A ‘contagion’ of sōtēria: Hellenistic Kingship and Collective Salvation between Political and Religious Discourse

Edward Dąbrowa: Attributes of Power of the Hasmoneans (152–76 BCE) as an Expression of their Political Standing

Marcin N. Pawlak: C. Iulius Eurycles and His Position in Late Hellenistic Sparta

Rolf Strootman: Cleopatra’s Languages

Jesper Majbom Madsen: Fear of Democracy and the Need of Autocracy in Cassius Dio’s Political Thinking

Indices